MTSU at Army predictions
Middle Tennessee State squares off with Army this Saturday. It has been a tumultuous and rocky road to the start of the football season, but nonetheless, pigskin action is here.
If you've been around the block with GoMiddle you know that each week, the writers at GoMiddle submit their picks for the week.
Here are the picks for this week.
Matt Dossett (Publisher)
This game is a fairly tricky one to get a handle on. This is typically the case with season openers; you really don't fully know what you are going to get. I think that both Army and Middle Tennessee State will be working out the bugs early in the contest and will be feeling eachother out.
I do think that Middle's chances took a severe hit when it was announced that transfer tailbacks Martell Pettaway and Amir Rasul would be opting out of their 2020 season eligibility. Compound that with the fact that receiver Tyrece Johnson won't be playing either, MT's chances of reaching a bowl took a hit.
Army's bread and butter is the triple option. The Black Knights intend to run the rock right down your throat. In 2019 they accumulated 3,863 yards on the ground. It was not just the running backs posting those stats, either. They implemented runs with a multitude of running backs but also with receivers on jet sweeps and pitch plays. The quarterback was also an integral part of the rushing attack. The thing to keep in mind with Army is that they can gash you with unexpected pass plays. They run, run, run, and then, bam, they slice you with a pass play down the field.
Considering the losses of Pettaway, Rasul, and Johnson, more of the load will fall on Asher O'Hara's shoulders. O'Hara is an absolute weapon, but he will need assistance from his buddies up front, as well as his offensive options and targets.
Again, Army has a just an absolute barrage of halfbacks. Last season, in 2019, Army had 12 guys labeled as running backs that got at least one carry.
I think both of these teams have the potential to field a potent offense. Look for Army to do damage with their complex rushing attack. Also, I expect Asher O'Hara to work his magic and keep Middle in the game. In the end, though, Army will pull this one out. I think Army tacks on a late score making a 14-point loss for Middle
Prediction:
Army: 38
MT: 24
Tyler Pellom
Everyone knows facing Army's triple-option rushing attack is a tall task. Luckily for Middle Tennessee, opening the season against the Black Knights gives them a full off-season to prepare for the tricky offense.
MT's defense was very poor against the run last year, finishing 11th in the C-USA and 101st in the country in rushing yards against (194 yards per game.) Losing players like Jovante Moffatt, Tyshun Render, and Khalil Brooks only exacerbates the issue. That spells trouble against a run-heavy team - Army was 3rd in the country in rushing at 297 yards per game last season.
If MT's offense can stay on the field and prevent Army's offense from tiring out MT's defense and running at-will, MT has a chance. The Blue Raiders will need Asher O'Hara and the group of largely untested running backs to hold on to the ball and do their work on the ground, because Army was 5th in the country in passing yards allowed at 180 a game. O'Hara's strength is keeping the ball on the ground, and Army is more-susceptible to that type of attack, allowing 164 yards per game, which finished 73rd in the country.
MT and Army shared three common opponents last year: Rice, Michigan, and Western Kentucky and the results were as follows:
Army beat Rice 14-7 in Week 1, MT lost to Rice 31-28 in Week 10.
MT lost to Michigan 40-21 in Week 1, Army lost to Michigan 24-21 (OT) in Week 2.
Army lost to Western Kentucky 17-8 in Week 6, MT lost to Western Kentucky 31-26 in Week 12.
I think time-of-possession will be the determining factor in the outcome of the game: Army finished 14th in the country last season at 32 minutes per game. MT finished 188th in the country at 26 minutes per game. If MT can buck that trend and have a handful of sustained drives that end with points, I think they can pull the upset. I wouldn't bet on that happening, however.
Prediction:
Army: 34
MT: 27
Rickey Fuquay Jr.
Middle Tennessee enters the 2020 season looking to bounce back from a disappointing season last year after winning the Conference USA East Division in 2018. COVID-19 has the Blue Raiders starting off in West Point after the ACC opted to go to conference only.
The Blue Raiders will be led by Redshirt Junior Asher O'Hara, who became the second QB in school history to record 1,000 yards in a season.
This game will come down to whether MT can stop the triple-option attack led by Junior Quarterback Jabari Laws. Last season, Army led the FBS Independents in rushing YPG on offense with 297.2 while the Blue Raiders were ranked 11th in Conference USA in rushing YPA on defense with 194.0 YPG.
O'Hara and Laws will duel it out all game long; however Laws and the Black Knights will come through late in regulation.
Army: 35
MTSU: 28